Officials urge army to beef up security at checkpoints

Wednesday, April 11, 2007 |
by Staff Writer

Defense officials called for a revision of security procedures at Israeli checkpoints in Judea and Samaria on Tuesday after it was released for publication that a would-be Palestinian suicide bomber with 100 kilograms of explosives drove to Tel Aviv last month.

The Shin Bet (Israel Security Service) arrested 19 Hamas members involved in the planning of the attack, which was scheduled for the first night of Passover, over a week ago.

The Defense Ministry, which drafted a plan for bomb-detention equipment at border crossings last year, never implemented them and most crossings have limited technology.

The terrorist driving the truck made it to Tel Aviv, but for unknown reasons returned to his home in Kalkilya where the car exploded a few days later in a “work accident.”

“This is scandalous,” said a senior official in the Defense Ministry. “A car with 100 kg. of explosives should not be able to cross in and out of Israel freely.”

The official called for an increase in manpower at the crossings and stricter procedures.

“We need additional scanners and biometric systems,” the official said. “This is the only way to prevent terror infiltrations into Israel.”

The official called for a change in the army’s policy of not inspecting Israeli cars driven by Arabs, charging that while it might seem “racist and discriminatory” to check only Israeli Arabs and not Jews, legislation could overcome the obstacle.

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